Traffic signal for street crossings



June 16, 1925. 1,541,979

J. w. LOWTHER TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR STREET CROSSINGS Filed 001. s. 1924. 2shee1s snm 1 FIG.2.

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J. w. LbwTHER TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR STREET CROSSINGS Filed Oct :5, 1924w/T/yEssEs 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-5.

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Patented June 16, 1925.

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TRAFFIC sIGNnn non STREET claossmss.

Application filed October 3, 1924. Serial No. 741,406.

To. all wizomc't may concern: 1

Be it known that I, J 01-IN W. Low'rnns, residing at Pittsburgh, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen of tlieUnitedStates, have invented or dis covered certain new and useful Improvementsin Traffic Signalsfor Street Cross ings, of which improvements thefollowing is a specification.

It is the object of this invention to provide a visual signal forcontrolling traffic at the intersections of streets, which. will be ofsimple and substantial construction, and which can be operated manuallyby the traflic office, preferably by threesimple successive movements,to invariably visualize the propersuccession of signals.

At the present time it is usual at the in- 'tersection of streets incities at which officers are stationed to controlvehicle trafiic, whenit is desired to stop the flow of traffic on one of the intersectingstreets and start, the

flow on the other street,to delay the permissive signal for the secondstreet for an appreciable time after giving the stop signal, usuallyaudible, for stoppage on the first street. The reasons for this areobvious. But confusion, and sometimes injury to pedestrians, is likelyfrom'f'ailure of vehicle drivers to hear, or to understand, the firststop signal, which is usually an audible signal only and unaccompaniedby any visual signal. i

The signaling device herein described permits the display of the propersignal for each of the intersecting streets at all times.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an elevation in perspective ofa signaling device embodying the invention. Figure 2 isa frontelevational section of the upper portion of the device. Figure 3 is ahorizontal section on the line III-III of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a view,partly in elevation partly in section, taken at right angles to Figure2, and showing additional portions of the device. Figure 5 is a detailedpartial sectional view of a portion of the device. Figure 6 is across-section on the line VI-VI, of Figure 5. i

The structure comprises a pedestal 1, having a tubular extension 2, uponwhich is rotatably mounted the signal-carrying upright or post 3, in thepresent instance said upright 3 being capable of an oscillatory axialmovement through an arc of As shown in Figure 5, the upright 8 hasbolted to' it at the proper point, the sleeve at,

-having an enlarged lower portion 5, forming an internal shoulder 6,adapted to rest The exprovided at its top with a slot upon the top ofthe extension 2. tensile-n2 1S 7, which receives theinner end of apin orbolt 8, inserted through the wall 5 of the i 1,541,979- UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

sleeve, and which limits the extent of the rotary movement of the sleeveand the upright 3, to which it is attached.

is here shown as a tubular structure, is secured in any suitable way tothe top of the upright at right angles thereto, there is rigidly securedto the upright a bifurcated disk 10, provided on both faces with avisible Stop 3, and below said frame 9, and h The frame S), which may beof any suitable form and posite faces a Stop signal or a Go signal,

as the case may be. In order to oscillate the box 11, it is providedwith an arm 12, connected by a link 13 with a lever 1A pivoted on theupright 3 and having its opposite end connected by a link 15' to thehand lever 16, which is also pivoted at one end to the upright 3.

The intended operation is as follows. Referring to Figure 1, it will beseen that a Stop signal is showing for both streets. In this situationit is assumed that the traflic on one street has been stopped, and thesecond signal is about to be given for movement of traflic on the otherstreet. As the oflicer gives his second signal, he pulls the hand lever16 upwardly, thereby turning the upper movable signal 11 toGo position.Then when it is desired to change the flow of traffic, the officercoincidentally with giv ing the first audible signal, depresses thelever 16 and thereby throws the upper movable signal 11 to Stopposition, thus stop ping traffic on street No. 1. His next movement isto give the upright 3 a quarter-turn, thus throwing the rigid lower Stopsignal 10 toward street No. 1, and throwing the movable Stop signal 11toward street No. 2, thus holding trafiic still stopped on both Ill)streets. Then, as above described, when he gives the second audiblesignal, he coincidentally raises the hand lever 16, thus giving thevisible Go signal 11 to street No. 2.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown conventionally suitableconnections for incandescent lamps arranged within the box 11, and havealso shown a sign for display ot any local rule above the movablesignal. These features, however, "form no part ot the invention.

it is obvious that the device shown is capable of considerablemodification without departure from the invention. It will be understoodby those skilled in the art,,that instead of being manually operated, itcan be operated mechanically or electrically from a control stationcommon to several crossing signals. Also the specific means For mountingand operating the parts may be varied.

1 claim as my invention:

1. In a signaling device of the class deccrihed, a two-position support,two signal arms borne by the support and extending in ditl'erei'itvertical planes, one o't said arms bearing a plurality o't panelsmovable to alternate display position while the other arm continuesunmoved.

2. In a signaling device of the class described, a two-position supportrotatable on a vertical axis, two gnal arms borne by the support andextending in different vertical planes, one o't said signal armsincludii'ig a two-facedmember with le ends upon its two faces rotatableupon a horizontal axis, and means for rotatingthe two faces of thelastnamed member alternately to legible position in vertical plane whilethe support continues unchanged in position.

3. In a signaling device of the class described, a two-position supportrotatable on a vertical axis, a Stop signal rigidly borne. by saidsupport and extending in vertical plane, a Stop and Go signal rotatablyborne by said support and provided with Stop and Go panels, and meansfor rotating said Stop and Go signal and bringing the Stop and Go panelsalternately toposition in a vertical plane angularly disposed to theplane oi the first-named Stop signal, while the support continuesunol'ianged in position.

4-. la a signaling device 01 the class described, a two-positio 'isupport bearing two signal arn-is, extending in ditlerent verticalplanes, each displayed to one only of two crossing streams of traffic,one of said signal arms bearing two panels, and means for moving saidpanels alternately to display position while the support continuesunchanged in position.

In a signaling device of the class described, a two-position supportbearing two signal arms, extending in different vertical planes, eachdisplayed to one only of two crossing streams of traffic, one of saidsignal arms bearing a four faced indicator rotatable upon a horizontalaxis, and means for rotating said indicator while the support continuesunchanged in position.

lntest'imony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN ll LOWTHER.

Witnesses lwIARsI-L L A. GHuisTY, PERCY A. ENGLISH.

